Chapter 39
When we step inside the crack the air is cold and humid. There a soft gurgling sound emanating from a corner.
There, standing quietly side by side, Arthur and I are intent in the preparation of a yellowish fluid, bubbling inside an ampoule. Our clothing are outdated and elegant. In which time have we landed? This must be the dungeon of the castle.
Our alter egos don’t notice us for a while. Then the other me senses my presence and turns. She bugs her eyes, staring at me for a long moment, till the tension in her gaze captures the attention of the other Arthur.
He’s about to say something, but she touches his elbow slightly, playfully, and places a finger on her mouth.
“Shh,” she hushes him.
“But…” he starts.
“We need to complete this task,” she says.
I take Arthur by the hand, motioning towards our alter egos. We walk towards them, without speaking a word.
“Yes, we do. We don’t have much time, and sooner or later someone will find us even if we are hiding down here,” the other Arthur agrees.
“We need to boil the potion for a while longer before adding the last ingredient,” my alter ego replies.
“And we have to verify if it has the effect we expect it to have,” Arthur adds.
Who just spoke is not Arthur’s alter ego, but the Arthur beside me, holding my hand.
“It will work, I know it,” his alter ego responds to this comment.
“What do we expect it to do?” I ask, breaching the silence, looking at the other me and the two Arthurs.
“This potion reveals people’s identity,” my alter ego explains, slowly enunciating the concept.
“What do you want to do with it?” I ask.
“Drink it,” she replies calmly.